Skylines and Strategies: Navigating New York City Real Estate with Bob Knakal

 

Skylines and Strategies: Navigating New York City Real Estate with Bob Knakal

 

Guest: Join us in this episode as we sit down with Bob Knackal, Head of the New York Private Capital Group at JLL, a seasoned investment sales broker with a 40-year career in the dynamic New York City real estate market. Bob shares insights into his impressive journey, highlighting his role in transforming the skyline through strategic land deals and development projects.

 

Big Idea: Bob Knakal takes us on a journey through his four-decade-long career in the New York City real estate market. From the early days as an investment sales broker to leading the New York Private Capital Group at JLL, Bob shares key strategies for success, highlighting the importance of expertise, data-driven decision-making, and product specialization. The discussion delves into the nuances of the market, examining recent corrections, development opportunities, and the unique challenges and advantages of navigating the complex world of New York City real estate. Bob’s insights provide valuable lessons for both seasoned professionals and those looking to make their mark in the ever-evolving real estate landscape.

 

 

    

Dan Breslin: All right, Bob Knakal, welcome to the REI Diamond Show. How are you doing today?

Bob Knakal: Great, Dan, thanks so much for having me on.

Dan: Yeah, when the booking agents had gotten the request I said, “Oh, wow, this is cool.” Bob Knakal just applied to be on the show. We’re going to approve that one, and then they finally got our schedules to Massey, and here we are. So I was excited to have you on the show, but maybe for listeners who don’t know the name, Bob Knakal, you could give a Reader’s Digest version about who you are and the highlights of your career today.

Bob: Sure, absolutely. Well, Bob Knakal, I currently am the head of the New York Private Capital Group at JLL. I’ve been an investment sales broker in New York City for 40 years now. For 26 of those years, from 1988 to 2014, I owned and ran a company called Massey Knakal Realty Services. We were investment sales in New York. Co-Star started tracking the marketplace in 2001. And in 2001, we were surprised to see that we had sold more buildings than any other company. And from 2001 to 2014, the number two company in New York sold a little over 1300 buildings. Massey Knakal sold over 4000. So we lapped the field by more than three times. Sold the business to Cushman and Wakefield in 2014 for $100 million. And I was three and a half years at Cushman, five years now at JLL. I think Dan, the thing that I’m most proud about our firm was that number one, we focused on culture training servant leadership mentality. And that has very tangibly manifested itself. Today, in New York City, there are 29 investment sales brokerage companies or divisions of companies that are either owned by or run by people who learned the business at Massey Knakal. So the legacy is significant and something I’m very proud of. Last week, I closed transaction number 2321. It’s about $22 billion worth of sales. And fortunately, even though I’m in year 40, I still love this business as much today as I did the day I started. And that’s what keeps me going.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.us.JLL.com/

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Bob Knakal & I Discuss New York Real Estate:

  • Expertise and Differentiation: Bob emphasizes the importance of becoming an expert in a specific niche of the market, using statistics rather than adjectives to answer key market questions.
  • The Map Room Advantage: Bob discusses the creation of the Map Room, a unique data set that tracks every building under construction and potential development site in New York City, providing a competitive advantage in selling land.
  • Product Specialization: Bob talks about the shift from geographic orientation to product specialization in recent years, focusing on specific property types such as land transactions and multifamily properties.
  • Market Correction Dynamics: Bob provides a detailed overview of the New York City real estate market’s recent corrections, emphasizing the autonomy of different product types and the changing behavior of lenders in response to market conditions.
  • Development Opportunities: Explores ongoing development opportunities in various sectors, including the challenges and prospects in the condo land market, the impact of rezoning projects, and the transformation of the hotel market.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 238 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Elevating Your Life: Unraveling the Journey to Freedom and Fulfillment with Brad Chandler

 

Elevating Your Life: Unraveling the Journey to Freedom and Fulfillment with Brad Chandler

 

Guest: In this episode we speak with Brad Chandler, the driving force behind Express Home Buyers and a true pioneer in the real estate industry. From building a successful company with a formidable SEO presence to a transformative shift in mindset and lifestyle, Brad’s story is nothing short of remarkable. Discover how he overcame limiting beliefs, harnessed the power of hypnosis, and found the keys to happiness and longevity. This episode is a beacon of hope for those seeking not just success in real estate but a holistic approach to well-being and fulfillment.

 

Big Idea: In this episode, our guest Brad shares his personal journey of self-discovery and the tools he developed, such as the Joy Regenerator and hypnosis, to break free from negative patterns. The conversation explores the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, emphasizing that success in real estate and life requires a holistic approach that goes beyond financial achievements.

 

 

    

Dan: Yeah, for sure. It was very exciting. I mean, I’ve seen the Express Homebuyer’s website for a long time. You guys have a very strong SEO presence in a very large number of markets around the country. I assume it’s intentional or not, but there’s a bit of notoriety and a bit of fame around the company itself, and it’s really cool to have someone who has been part of building that company here on the show today.

Brad: Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Dan: So for listeners who don’t know who Express Homebuyer’s or maybe Brad Chandler is, do you want to give an introduction and maybe a reader’s digest version about how you got to where you’re at today?

Brad: Sure. Yeah, I’ve read a book in ninth grade by Robert Allen, who I got the pleasure of finally meeting after 30-something years or 40-something years at a mastermind that I’m involved in. How to buy real estate with no money down when I was in ninth grade and then knew I always want to do real estate because I wanted to make a ton of money.

We’ll get to why in a bit. In 2002, an investor bought my neighbor’s house in Vienna, Virginia, and I went and talked to him and he’s like, yeah, I buy houses at 30% below market and I resell them. I’m like, I must have read that book too long ago because I forgot you could do that. At the time, I just had a newborn son and I decided I was going to do it. I was going to make a company buying houses, but I was working full-time, so I’d come home, spend six days with him, put him to sleep, and that went on for eight long months then. I mean, I was busting my hump and every week that went by, I couldn’t find a deal, but I was going to these meetups and seeing all these deals and I was like, if they can do it, I can do it. In July of 2003, I bought my first house. In July and August, somehow I bought six houses and then October of that year, I went to my boss and said, “I quit”, came home and told my wife at the time I quit. She goes like, “Are you crazy?” I was like, “no, I just started Express Homebuyers. It’ll be fine.” Here we are 20 years later in 4,000 houses and we’re not still married, but it’s been fine.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.Facebook.com/BradChandlerCoaching

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Brad Chandler & I Discuss Elevating Your Life:

  • Building a Strong SEO Presence: Strategies and insights for establishing a powerful online presence in the real estate market.
  • Navigating Real Estate Challenges: Brad’s experiences and lessons learned from buying and selling thousands of houses.
  • Overcoming Obstacles in Real Estate: How to persist and thrive in the face of challenges and setbacks.
  • The Power of Networking: The significance of connecting with like-minded individuals and building a supportive community in the real estate industry.
  • Transformative Mindset Shift: Brad’s journey from a traditional real estate approach to a mindset-focused, streamlined business model.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 235 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Real Estate Uncovered: Building Success and Weathering the Storm with Doug Faron

 

Real Estate Uncovered: Building Success and Weathering the Storm with Doug Faron

 

Guest: Doug’s extensive experience in the real estate industry, combined with his innovative strategies, has made him a sought-after expert in the field. Throughout his career, he has successfully navigated high-growth markets, mastered the art of property management, and achieved remarkable returns on investments. Join us as Doug shares his invaluable insights, practical tips, and the secrets behind his real estate success.

 

Big Idea: In this episode, we sit down with Doug Faron, a highly experienced real estate investor and operator with a remarkable track record in the industry. Doug provides valuable insights into his journey, emphasizing the importance of maintaining family values while building a successful real estate business. He shares his expertise in navigating the real estate market, even during challenging periods, and highlights the key factors that have contributed to his achievements.

 

 

    

 

Dan: Yeah, for sure. When the booking request came through, I was personally most excited about the operator, developer. You guys have a huge background, Shoreham Capital of very large projects. It seems like from all the research that I’ve done, I probably can’t do as much justice on an introduction as you, so why don’t I give you the floor, allow you to give an intro on kind of your career, [inaudible] capital and what the trajectory of you work guys investment strategy looks like today.

Doug: Sure. Perfect. Well, again, thanks for having me and happy to introduce myself and then tell you a little bit about Shoreham Capital. My name is Doug Feron and I’ve spent most of my career on the institutional investment side of the real estate business. I started my career in investment banking. I then went to work in corporate private equity for a number of years and then transitioned after business school to real estate private equity, working with a firm called the CIM group based out in Los Angeles. I spent about 10 years at CIM, had a really great experience and ultimately was a managing director on their investment team and running their East Coast investment practice. But I had shifted from corporate to real estate really looking at one book, being very interested in the asset class and also being interested in trying to do something entrepreneurial.

One day I felt that in real estate there was a much bigger opportunity for that than corporate private equity. So after about 10 years with CIM, I was doing some family events and otherwise decided it was the right time to take a look and looking for a seed to that thesis or a seed for that business. One of the areas I’ve been really interested in at the firm and we’d been working on a white paper on was single-family rental. I had been pursuing that and through a friend was introduced to one of my partners, Nick Zumas, who’s a sizeable home builder in both New York and Florida. In meeting Nick, we sat down and had the opportunity to sort of flush out a business plan to shift a lot of his forward pipeline from for sale to for rent but along the backs of that, build a larger real estate developer operator investor that would do both traditional multi-family, both ground up and value add, alternatives like build to rent single-family rental senior student, and then also still have an allocation for special situations and the background I had of doing different asset classes, debt and equity, wherever the sort, the opportunistic opportunity is.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://ShorehamCapital.com/

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Doug Faron & I Discuss Building Success and Weathering the Storm:

  • The foundation and vision of Shoreham Capital.
  • Successfully managing large real estate development projects.
  • Strategies for weathering the storm in a challenging real estate market.
  • Insights into the cost and yield considerations for real estate projects.
  • The importance of location, entitlement risk, and site plan approval.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 234 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Tech to Real Estate: A Unique Journey with Kranti Ponnam

 

Tech to Real Estate: A Unique Journey with Kranti Ponnam

 

Guest: Kranti Ponnam, an accomplished engineer with a strong background in technology, embarked on a remarkable journey in the real estate world. Born and raised in India, Kranti’s early exposure to his family’s deep involvement in real estate ignited his passion for the industry. Despite a successful career in technology, he remained steadfast in his belief in real estate as a more reliable investment avenue than the stock market. Kranti’s real estate journey began with the acquisition of small condos and apartments in San Diego. From there, he expanded into the commercial real estate sector and became a limited partner in syndicated deals.

 

Big Idea: Join us for a deep dive into the thriving Atlanta real estate market and discover investment opportunities that extend beyond the city’s limits. Our guest, a seasoned investor, takes us on a journey through different facets of real estate, emphasizing the importance of market selection, effective strategies, and adaptability in achieving long-term financial security.

 

 

    

 

Dan: Yeah, you and me both. You and I were talking before we got to record about me having to cancel and you twice, and I was like so excited and looking forward to the episode once our booking agents started the conversation, like wow, here’s a really cool conversation. We’re going to have multi-family investment syndication in the Atlanta market, which the listeners know. I love the Atlanta market, I’m bullish on it. It’s going to be a great market, I think for another five, 10 years at least into the foreseeable future. But you also had this tech data driven background, which I think is unique, right? For people who come on the show and people who are usually syndicating real estate deals, usually they start flipping houses, maybe buy some things, develop, buy, build a three unit, and now they’re going to buy a 100 or 200 unit apartment building. I think your path was different and that was part of why I was excited. Maybe you could tell the origination story, the brief play by play on how you got to where you’re at and what the business model looks like now.

Kranti: Sure. My background is an engineer, and then came out of college, took a job in a field that was totally unrelated. I went to school for mechanical civil engineering master’s degree and then came out and did work in the technology space. So always was in the technology space. But growing up, and I grew up in India, my dad, my whole family has been in real estate and real estate was more of a second nature. So once I started making money and started building businesses and going into it, I’ve never invested as much in stock market, still don’t believe it one bit. So I have some holdings, but always been a believer of real estate and that’s how I first started buying. I bought my office complex that we basically had our company located. I think we did really well on that particular building and sold it in about a span of eight years for five x the price.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

www.kipi.bi

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Kranti Ponnam & I Discuss Teach to Real Estate:

  • Transition from Technology to Real Estate Investing: Kranti delves into his unique journey transitioning from the technology sector to real estate investing, highlighting how his strong belief in real estate, coupled with a technology background, paved the way for his substantial success in the real estate market.
  • Exploring Different Real Estate Asset Classes: Kranti’s diverse investment portfolio spans various real estate asset classes, from small condos to retail strip centers and multi-family properties. He shares his strategic diversification tactics, showcasing his adaptability and astute investment acumen across diverse segments of the real estate market.
  • Unveiling the Potential of the Atlanta Real Estate Market: Kranti’s enthusiasm for the Atlanta market is fueled by its remarkable potential. He outlines key factors, such as population growth, job opportunities, and affordability, which make Atlanta an enticing and sustainable market for real estate investment.
  • Strategic Scaling: Kranti’s approach underscores the significance of strategic scaling in real estate investment. He provides insights into adding value to non-performing assets, optimizing property performance, and maximizing returns while diligently managing risk factors within a dynamic market.
  • Impact of Market Trends on Real Estate Investments: Kranti shares valuable insights into how market trends can significantly affect real estate investments. He addresses the evolving market dynamics, particularly focusing on factors such as interest rates and rental growth, which play a pivotal role in influencing investment decisions and asset values.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 233 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.